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August 11, 2011

Old Buttons Turned into Decorative Magnets

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When it comes to my living space, I am a complete neat freak. I hate clutter and I like everything put away in its place (just don’t look behind the closed doors, something might jump out at you. I have to put all our crap stuff somewhere :P ). Because I like things so orderly, I’m not a big fan of pinning things to the fridge. HOWEVER, there are some things that just need to be on there, like the grocery list and the adorable birth announcements and Save-the-Date cards that accumulate each year.

Recently, the collection of magnets on my fridge has really been getting to me and I’ve been looking for something with a little more style. Call it fate if you will, but I was at a craft fair a few weeks back and stumbled upon old buttons that were turned into magnets. I was completely inspired and decided to make some myself.

First, I pulled out my button collection (Correction: It’s actually BOTH my mom’s AND my collection that currently resides at my house. Although, she will tell you that I stole it hehe). There are hundreds of buttons in there and they date back to probably the 1930’s. I love looking at all of the colors and character that each one holds.

buttons, vintage buttons

Because our kitchen blends into our family room, I choose colors that will go with my new family room design.

buttons

Next, I picked up this pack of magnets at my local craft store for a mere $1.99.

Then, I hot glued the magnet directly onto the back of the button.

To add a little variety, I stacked some of the buttons in unique designs. I love how they turned out and they definitely add a new look to the fridge :)

button magnents

button magnets

button magnets, crafts with buttons, vintage buttons

My total cost for the project: $1.99

So here’s my tip. Never throw away those extra buttons that come on your clothes, you never know what you might need them for in the future :)

About Taryn Whiteaker

Taryn Whiteaker is the voice of style behind TarynWhiteaker.com (formerly Design, Dining and Diapers) ! Taryn is a previous PR/Marketing professional who got back to her creative roots after becoming a mom and now shares her passion for home decor and design for the world to see. Taryn lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband and three kids and loves coffee, the outdoors, and exploring with her family.

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing, DIY Projects Tagged With: crafts, DIY, repurpose

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jill says

    August 12, 2011 at 2:18 pm

    Can’t go wrong with old buttons!!

    Reply
  2. Joyce at Quilted Nest says

    August 12, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    I’ve always wanted to do this. They look great – just adorable. Let me know how they hold up or if you have trouble with them coming unglued.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 15, 2011 at 8:55 pm

      Hi Joyce! So far, they are holding up really well!

      Reply
  3. Nicole says

    August 13, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    That is a great idea to save those “extra” buttons you get!! Thanks so much for linking your idea to Thrifty Thursday! :)

    Reply
  4. Audra says

    August 15, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    What a cute idea! I’d love for you to link up at my Tuesday Tutorials Link Party! :)

    http://www.thekurtzcorner.com/2011/08/tuesday-tutorials-link-party-no2.html

    Reply
  5. Haley says

    August 17, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    These look awesome! I love your button collection too!

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 22, 2011 at 2:56 pm

      Thanks Haley!

      Reply
  6. Keren Duchan says

    August 18, 2011 at 1:49 am

    Very pretty! I love those unique buttons! Great photos too. You should try posting them on craftgawker if you haven’t already – I once got my project posted and it brought me lots of blog traffic. I am not affiliated in any way BTW.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 18, 2011 at 7:46 am

      Thanks Keren! I just submitted them :)

      Reply
  7. gail says

    August 18, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    very cute! my daughter makes rings out of old buttons. They can be so pretty and distinctive!

    great job!
    gail

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 22, 2011 at 2:57 pm

      Thanks, Gail! I’ve seen the button rings and I’m itching to try them next :)

      Reply
  8. Linda says

    August 20, 2011 at 12:45 am

    Great idea, I’m going to make collections of these to give as Christmas presents.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 22, 2011 at 2:58 pm

      That’s a great idea! I love homemade Christmas gifts, they are so personal and fun to make.

      Reply
  9. Rachel says

    August 22, 2011 at 1:08 am

    What a lovely idea!Very cute and nice!

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      August 22, 2011 at 2:58 pm

      Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply
  10. Air Purifiers says

    August 22, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    These are so pretty! I really like the picture of all the buttons… beautiful!

    Reply
  11. Lisa says

    September 6, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    What a cute idea. I have a few funky old buttons I’ve held onto forever even though I had no idea what I would do with them. This is it!

    Reply
  12. Jamie B. says

    January 22, 2012 at 10:26 am

    I love these vintage button magnets… What a great idea! I hope you don’t mind, I’ve featured this post on my button crafts round-up hub here:

    http://jamiebrock.hubpages.com/hub/Super-Cute-Button-Crafts-Tutorial-Round-Up?done

    Thank you so much for sharing this!

    Jamie B.

    Reply
    • Taryn says

      January 22, 2012 at 3:09 pm

      Of course I don’t mind! Thanks for leaving a note, glad you like them :)

      Reply
  13. Zsa Zsa says

    February 17, 2012 at 7:50 am

    I used to sew on mismatched buttons on my white shirts.

    Reply
  14. Connie says

    May 22, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    I am a sucker for anything retor and this are just so hard to pass up. i have already made a stock-pile for Christmas presents this year. Thanks for sharing!
    Connie ;)

    Reply
    • Connie says

      May 22, 2012 at 8:39 pm

      *retro and *these (I should not be typing with kids at my feet!)

      Reply
  15. Morena says

    November 9, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    Fun idea!

    Reply

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Taryn Whiteaker

Hi and welcome! I'm Taryn and the voice of style behind Taryn Whiteaker Designs. I'm a wife, mom of three, and coffee lover, living in the Pacific Northwest! This is where I share my love for design, whether it's decorating our own home, tackling big DIY projects, creating inviting tablescapes, or sharing my personal style. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to subscribe to my mailing list to get all the latest updates! Read more...

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